Tag: Bowling Green

Michigan 31, Bowling Green 6

That was an ugly 25-point win. Michigan is at a pretty good place in its program where a 25-point win is considered disappointing, but that’s where we are. The point differentials against MAC teams over the years have been pretty sizeable:

• 63-10 over NIU in 2021 (53 points)
• 59-9 over CMU in 2013 (50 points)
• 49-3 over WMU in 2018 (46 points)
• 47-14 over WMU in 2021 (33 points)
• 31-3 over EMU in 2011 (28 points)
• 31-6 over BGSU in 2023 (25 points)
• 34-10 over Miami-OH in 2014 (24 points)
• 34-10 over WMU in 2011 (24 points)
• 28-24 over Akron in 2013 (4 points)

As you can see, Michigan has had some huge wins over MAC teams in the last thirteen seasons. This was one of the least impressive. Michigan was breaking in a new coaching staff after a rebuild in 2011, and Brady Hoke was proving the job was too big for him in 2013 and 2014. The former isn’t the case for this 2023 team, and I think we all know Harbaugh can coach at this level, so the latter doesn’t apply, either. But it was kind of a stinker.

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Preview: Michigan vs. Bowling Green

RUSH OFFENSE vs. BGSU RUSH DEFENSE
Michigan is #75 overall in rushing (150.5 yards/game) and #53 in yards per carry (4.7) despite not having allowed a single sack this season. Blake Corum’s numbers are adequate (25 carries, 153 yards, 4 TD), but backup Donovan Edwards has been surprisingly ineffective (18 carries, 46 yards). Mike Hart said last week that neither player had been tackled during fall camp, so it appears to be taking some time for them to get back in sync with their blocking. The offensive line starters appear to be set with Karsen Barnhart and Myles Hinton winning the left and right tackle jobs, respectively. Bowling Green is #102 in rushing defense (160.5 yards allowed/game) and #98 in yards allowed per carry (4.28). They held down FCS Eastern Illinois last week, but Liberty had 246 yards on the ground at over 5.0 yards per attempt. The leading tackler for the Falcons is sophomore weakside linebacker Joseph Shipp (6’0″, 220) with 20 stops, followed by sophomore cornerback Jalen Huskey (6’0″, 185) with 15. Both of BGSU’s inside linebackers are 220-225 pounds, and they start a 285 lb. nose tackle in senior Anthony Hawkins, so they’re a little undersized up the middle.
Advantage: Michigan

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Michigan’s 10 Longest Plays vs. Bowling Green State University

Michigan has played Bowling Green State University two times, once in 2000 and once in 2010. The 2010 game was full of big plays, with Denard Robinson rushing 5 times for 129 yards and 2 touchdowns on an injury-shortened day that saw him rush or pass the ball just 9 times overall.

1. Fitzgerald Toussaint 61-yard touchdown run (2010)
2. John Navarre 58-yard pass to B.J. Askew (2000)
3. Denard Robinson 47-yard touchdown run (2010)
4. Denard Robinson 47-yard run (2010)
5. Chris Perry 42-yard touchdown run (2000)
6. John Navarre 41-yard touchdown pass to David Terrell (2000)
7. Denard Robinson 36-yard pass to Roy Roundtree (2010)
8. Michael Cox 35-yard run (2010)
9. Ray Vinopal 32-yard interception return (2010)
10. Devin Gardner 30-yard pass to Darryl Stonum (2010)

Michigan vs. Bowling Green Awards

Denard Robinson’s bruised knee ended his exciting day.

Let’s see more of this guy on offense . . . Fitzgerald Toussaint.  Toussaint only carried the ball twice on Saturday.  One carry was a 61-yard gallop.  The other was a 5-yard touchdown.  He was caught from behind on the 61-yarder, but that can probably be attributed to the knee brace that was holding his sprained left knee in place.  I’m not going to hold that against him.  And if the biggest knock on a guy is that he got run down after gaining 61 yards, then I’m not too worried.  Unfortunately, he reportedly injured his shoulder, which is why he only got two carries.  Hopefully he can get healthy and stay healthy so we can see him on the field more in the coming weeks.

Let’s see more of this guy on defense . . . Kenny Demens.  He played pretty well on Saturday (5 tackles, 1 tackle for loss), and I think he’s a more viable backup than Mark Moundros.  And if all other things are equal, it’s better to get the younger guy reps.  Demens is only a redshirt sophomore, whereas Moundros is a fifth year senior and will be gone after 2010.  I know Moundros is a captain, but that shouldn’t necessarily figure into playing time.  (I also wish Moundros was still playing fullback, but that’s a separate discussion.)

MVP of the Bowling Green game . . . Denard Robinson.  Again.  He had 5 carries for 129 yards and 2 touchdowns, on top of going 4/4 passing for 60 yards.  He left with a bruise knee halfway through the first quarter, but he was on pace for approximately 800 total yards in the game.  He surely would have been pulled for a backup before he reached that level, but he could have easily hit 300 yards rushing by halftime.

You might notice that I didn’t give out any “Let’s see less of this guy . . . ” Awards.  That’s because all three units played fairly well on Saturday, and there weren’t any glaring weaknesses.  Plus I’ve already made clear my feelings on a few guys who get too much playing time, so there’s no need to revisit those quite yet.

Michigan 65, Bowling Green 21

Quarterbacks Devin Gardner and Denard Robinson celebrate during Saturday’s 65-21 victory over Bowling Green.

Yesterday was a pretty ridiculous good time.  It’s hard to learn much about Michigan’s team in a game like this, because everything worked.  The Wolverines had 721 total yards, which is only six few than Michigan’s all-time record for yardage that was set last year against Delaware State.

A couple new things I noticed . . .

1. Michigan used a “heavy package” that included two tight ends in the backfield with the QB and the RB.  Michigan is getting to the point where they can install new packages and formations without confusing the kids too much.  We’re starting to see how many different looks Rich Rodriguez and Calvin Magee can show, and at least for now, they all seem to be working.

2. Michigan used some defensive packages with four cornerbacks.  As far as I know, Michigan hadn’t used a nickel or dime package in a couple years.  Last year’s adjustment to multiple wide receivers was to put linebacker Steve Brown and one of the free safeties on the slot receivers.  This four-corner look might not be a legitimate option against a talented Big Ten team like Ohio State, but it could be used situationally.  Showing it against BGSU gives those kids a chance to practice it, and it also gives future opponents something for which to gameplan.

There were also several old themes revisited, many of which have been addressed here earlier.  I won’t go into too much depth on these, but they were worth noting . . .

• Devin Gardner redshirt vs. Tate Forcier.  Gardner had some good moments but still looked awkward at times.  I’m on the record as saying that Gardner’s redshirt shouldn’t have been burned, at least not so early in the season.  This game seemed to support my theory.  Gardner finished 7/10 for 85 yards and 1 touchdown, while rushing the ball 6 times for 25 yards (4.2 ypc) and 1 touchdown.  Meanwhile, Forcier set a Michigan record by going 12/12 for 110 yards and 1 touchdown, in addition to 4 rushes for 30 yards (7.5 ypc).
• Vincent Smith is still not as good as the other running backs.  He did have a nice touchdown run where he actually ran through a tackle.  But by the end of the game, Fitzgerald Toussaint had 2 carries for 66 yards (33 ypc) and Michael Cox had 6 carries for 56 yards (9.3 ypc).  Still, Smith (12 carries, 62 yards, 5.2 ypc, 2 touchdowns) tied for the most carries with Michael Shaw (12 carries, 59 yards, 4.9 ypc, 1 touchdown).  Even freshman Stephen Hopkins had a better average (6 carries, 33 yards, 5.3 ypc), although Hopkins put the ball on the ground.
• Cameron Gordon and Jordan Kovacs are slow.  Gordon couldn’t catch up to a 265 lb. tight end a couple weeks ago, and this week he got torched by a MAC wide receiver on a screen pass that turned into a 71-yard TD.  Jordan Kovacs was also unable to gain any ground on Tyrone Pronty that play.  It’s not good when both of the team’s safeties are so lacking in foot speed, but that’s where Michigan’s defense is right now.  It would have also helped if Thomas Gordon and James Rogers gave better efforts . . .
• Michigan needs to rush more than three to get to the quarterback.  The Wolverines had three sacks (two by Ryan Van Bergen, one by Jonas Mouton), and at least two – maybe all three – came on plays where Michigan sent more than three rushers.
• Denard Robinson is good.  He had 5 carries for 129 yards and 2 touchdowns, and was 4/4 passing for 60 yards.  All that happened in about half a quarter of play.